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More Unis Demand A* at A-Level

Once upon a time, there was no such thing as an A* at A-Level. The upper limits of excellence were hemmed in by the meagre A, and nothing beyond was even possible for clever year 12 and 13 students.

It’s partly because the A* hasn’t been around for long that unis haven’t insisted on them for many courses, but they’re becoming a more and more common sight on entry requirements across the UK, and you’d better get used to them.

According to The Telegraph, more unis are asking for A* grades for students starting in 2012 than ever before, with 15 courses at Oxford and 14 courses at King’s College, London demanding at least one A* from prospective students, as well as many other high-ranking unis.

The A* was brought in 2008 as a way of helping universities to differentiate between the most academically able students, who must achieve 90% or more for their A2 level, and an A overall, in order to achieve the gold standard grade.

In 2011, just 8.2% of students achieved an A* at A Level. With the highest UK tuition fees in the UK beginning to be charged from September 2012, competition for places at top universities is fiercer than ever, with many students determined to get the best value for money possible from their uni. This gives unis good reason to start asking for A*s from applicants in order to make the difficult selection process easier.

It’s a dog-eat-dog world out there in university land, so make sure you’ve got all the facts you need to make your uni choice.